One of the unexpected doors that opened for me in the last weeks is in the whole area of "testimony". That is to say that many people I've been with over these last weeks have been free enough to give "testimony" to how God works (past, present and future) in their lives. And, in fact, in reading Acts, that's what the Apostle Paul is all about. Time and time again across the whole of Asia Minor the Apostle Paul "testifies" to the power of God revealed in Jesus Christ. He isn't about much else. He just takes every opportunity to testify to this truth.
As we work through this process of coming together for one strong mission and ministry, I think the core of our work will be in the area of "testimony". I'll be "testifying" to the wonders of God's grace and glory from my studies -- that is, the stories I tell will be stories of how God is working in life. And I'll be looking to hear your "testimony" of where God has been active, moving and shaping lives. Our common witness will help us see where God is leading for our lives together.
I'm longing to hear your "testimony". Hopefully I've turned on the "comment" option for just that purpose.
God is good. All the time. All the time, God is good!
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You must be a Peter Eide fan. I heard the God is good ... from him at a Synod Convention a few years ago. I haven't forgotten it. You should use it at the end of services to get the Morning Star folks involved even more.
ReplyDeleteGlad to have you back. See you Sunday.
Rich Fiddelke
I’m not sure what I have to say constitutes a true testimony, but here goes.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think for one minute that God willed Lowell to get Parkinson’s disease and die after suffering as he did. However, I do think that God has used this tragedy to bring me closer to Him.
When I think of this first year of being without Lowell, I think of two quotes of Jesus: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” and “Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.
While I was married to Lowell, and before he developed Parkinson’s disease, I was a millionaire in terms of happiness. My work gave me great satisfaction, but Lowell gave me joy. I remember sitting in church one Sunday listening to a sermon in which heaven was discussed. I thought that I could not imagine how heaven could possibly better than my life on earth. At that stage of my life, I took my faith very seriously, but I did not rely on God for my happiness. I relied on myself and Lowell.
As to the “poor in spirit” quote, I puzzled for years as to what this meant. After Lowell died, I think I experienced it. The wind was totally knocked out of me. That forced me to work on my relationship with God.
I learned in the past couple of months that, if I honor God, he returns the favor. I was thinking about something that you said a while back about finding it rewarding to sit in the presence of God for a few minutes during devotions. This led to the idea that it would be more respectful to actually stop and say morning prayers on my knees rather than pray while brushing my teeth or digging through the dryer trying to find a matching pair of socks. In doing so, I discovered that I felt much more focused and more, well—submissive. The amazing thing was that, while I started saying morning prayers last year as an obligation, when I started saying them this way, I started actually looking forward to praying as a privilege. When I get done saying my piece, I stay there for a minute or two and do nothing, think about nothing. I’d like to say that I get inspiration, motivation or peace from this, but I don’t think that would be accurate. I actually don’t really know what is happening to me at that time. I only know that I really look forward to that couple of minutes in the morning just staying on my knees doing nothing, being in the presence of God.
Testimony, to me, has always seemed one part scary, two parts arrogant, and maybe just a little bit intimidating......probably the result of my Scandinavian and Lutheran upbringing. I actually just looked up the term and found the following definition:
ReplyDelete"In religion, testimony generally involves an inward belief or outward profession of faith or of personal religious experience." That actually sounds pretty reasonable to even my stoic, uptight, reticent, don't make waves in church Minnesotan Lutheran heritage. But, I guess I am not quite there yet...... I look forward to hearing the stories of testimony from your studies and travels. Also, I found Barb T's testimony quite profound and moving.....and very inspirational. Thanks for sharing. Jan D.
Unfortunately "testimony" and "witnessing" has had a bad name in Christianity, because, and Jan notes, it has often been arrogant and, in its arrogance, has left the other feeling intimidated. This is unfortunate for all concerned.
ReplyDeleteIf we go to the courts, we hear witnesses giving "testimony" to the truth of the case before the court. This testimony is usually neither arrogant nor intimidating (though the courtroom can be intimidating).
In what I'm saying "testimony" is simply relating what God has done, is doing and will do in our lives. It is simply telling the truth about God and our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. When related with out judgment of the other, it can be profound, and moving as well as inspirational.
Thanks Barb for your testimony to the presence of God in your life. You give a great example of the nature of testimony -- like that of Paul -- that bears witness to the presence of the Living God.
Pastor Tom
Thank you, Pastor, for a much more approachable definition of testimony. Thinking of it in terms of "relating without judgment" to what "God has done, is doing and will do in our lives" keeps it
ReplyDeleteclose to the heart, simple and honest. Jan